By Pastor Jeff Hanson
In 1964 I was a mischievous 6-year-old and in that year for Christmas a movie was without the aid of AI or CGI or even computers have been aired every year since then.
Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, like It’s a Wonderful Life, Frosty the Snowman and later The Christmas Story have been part of the America Christmas for decades now and even generations.
I know Rudolph was the star but I kind of leaned to Yukon Cornelius, the most quoted saying by Cornelius, “Didn’t I ever tell you about Bumbles? Bumbles bounce!”
There was also this island owned by King Moonracer, can anyone name some of the toys there?
Charlie in the box
Train with square wheels
Spotted elephant
A water pistol that squirted jelly
A cowboy who rides an Ostrich
Bird that didn’t fly but swam
Boat that cannot float
Airplane that couldn’t fly
Dolly the rag doll for Sue
A blue bear with feathers
A scooter for Jimmy
A winged bear
What a bunch of misfits!
I’m proud to be classified as a misfit
1Pe 2:9-12, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.”
The world likes to divide, they divide by culture, nationality, color of your skin, social status, the way you talk and so on. But in the church Galatian 3:26-29, “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
This does not mean that we are all the same in talents, gifts, and knowledge, Romans 12:4-8, “For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.”
We at Janesville Apostolic Ministries encourage all to use the gifts they have, no matter how large or how small, the idea of just being someone who comes to church sits themselves down in a pew and never says or does anything is not what we are about.
Many here have been discouraged by churches in the past from stepping out, not here, some have been kicked out of churches or been forced to leave by leaders and others who didn’t value or encourage the.
We misfits are not all meant to be pastors, teachers, evangelist, prophets and apostles, not everyone operates in the gifts of the Spirit listed in 1 Corinthians 12, not all of us can sing well, or play in instrument, but that does not keep you from being involved somewhere. You maybe a misfit but your Gods misfit!
You don’t have to look very far in the Bible to see that God throughout history of the bible used misfits.
Moses a murderer who was afraid to speak was chosen by God to lead the Israelites out of Egypt
Jeremiah who told God he was too young to prophecy to the kings of that day
Rahab a harlot helped the Israeli spies
David the forgotten son was chosen to be king of Israel
The Apostles themselves were a bunch of misfits chosen by Jesus to carry the New Testament message throughout the world, you had fishermen, a tax collector among this group.
The Apostle Paul who said he was born out of time in relation to be a witness of the risen Lord after the Resurrection, 1 Timothy 1:12-15, “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”
I believe that some of you who have come to JAM recently have are here for a reason and I know that in the process of healing spiritually you may need a little time before you are willing to make the step out
But I reassure you that you are among fellow misfits who Jesus Christ is using us above and beyond anything that we could have imagined. I know a lot of your stories and you know mine, “I’m just a nobody trying to tell everyone about somebody who can save anybody”.
You not what is the greatest thing about being a bunch of misfits?
It takes the competition out of it, Rom 12:3, “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”
The only competition we may have is who is the greatest servant among us, Mat 20:25-28, “But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”
Gal 6:2-3, “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.”
Gal 6:4-6, “But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden. Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.”
Gal 6:9-10, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”
We are strangers (misfits) in foreign land….
Janesville Apostolic Ministries 
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